macaque

noun

ma·​caque mə-ˈkak How to pronounce macaque (audio) -ˈkäk How to pronounce macaque (audio)
: any of a genus (Macaca) of chiefly Asian monkeys typically having a sturdy build and including some short-tailed or tailless forms
especially : rhesus monkey

Illustration of macaque

Illustration of macaque

Examples of macaque in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The team had been conducting testing in macaques of an injectable vaccine developed by researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital. Atul Gawande, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025 At first the macaques are intrigued by these strange machines, Reinegger says. Byrefael Kubersky, science.org, 20 Mar. 2025 Alpha Genesis staff had tried to entice the macaques with food while using humane traps to capture them. Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 25 Jan. 2025 Her $60 million contract with the NIH included studying the effects of the vaccines for the deadly disease on macaques, a type of primate. Meredith Kile, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for macaque

Word History

Etymology

French, from Portuguese macaco, from kaku mangabey, plural makaku, in one or more Bantu languages of Gabon and Congo

First Known Use

1757, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of macaque was in 1757

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Cite this Entry

“Macaque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/macaque. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

macaque

noun
ma·​caque mə-ˈkak How to pronounce macaque (audio) -ˈkäk How to pronounce macaque (audio)
: any of various monkeys mostly from Asia that includes some with either short or no tails
especially : rhesus monkey
Etymology

French, from Portuguese macaco, from makaku, plural of kaku, name for an African monkey in one or more Bantu languages of Gabon and Congo

Medical Definition

macaque

noun
ma·​caque mə-ˈkak How to pronounce macaque (audio) -ˈkäk How to pronounce macaque (audio)
: any of numerous short-tailed Old World monkeys of the genus Macaca and related genera chiefly of southern Asia
especially : rhesus monkey

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